Page 9 - topcoverissue19

SPRING 2024 TOP COVER 9

How the Association can help you – and what we can’t do!

procedure we can assist you with any
issues you may have around anxiety, What the PFOA doesn’t do
stress etc. We will also help your family
First and foremost, the PFOA is a Group Insurance. Below are examples
members…but not your Aunt or Uncle
charity. Thousands of police officers of what we will not fund and are
in Australia!
(serving and retired) donate £5 per covered in our constitution available
month, and hope never to have on our website and on request.
2: Injury on duty
contact with us! • Private medical consultations.
If you are injured on duty, we will
However, there have been some • Private medical treatment.
assist wherever we can. If you are
who have looked at the PFOA as • Legal fees/legal advice.
offered physio by your force or the
some kind of insurance company, • Marriage/relationship issues
NHS then you should accept it.
and we have been asked many times: • Damage to your house or car or
However the NHS waiting list is likely
“What am I entitled to?” We rely on their contents.
to be long, so if your injury keeps you
funds raised by monthly donations, • Sponsorship for other charities’
off work for longer than expected
sponsorship and private donations. events (we need to look after our
please talk to us. You and your family
We consider every request for own charity first!).
may need additional support, which
assistance; probably 95% of these We never means test our members,
we can help with. We can also offer
requests result in some action and nor do we ever want to; we rely on
up to six sessions of physiotherapy via
support from the PFOA. the utmost integrity from those who
PhysioMed if you have no joy through
But we are not a replacement for approach us, and will do all we can to
the NHS or force; however, physio
private medical insurance, house assist those in need.
is not available to family members
insurance, car insurance or Federation
(please see updates below).
Physiotherapy update
3: Illness
We help many members and their
Due to the massive increase in requests and cost (up 100% in last 12 months),
families where there is a serious
we have had to review the use of physiotherapy provisions and restrict support
illness. Assistance varies in each case,
to ‘on duty injuries’ only. With immediate effect, the following criteria apply to
but previously we have provided
members accessing physiotherapy via the PFOA.
support for house cleaning, childcare,
1: Physiotherapy is only open to members who have been injured on duty,
gardening and transport to and from
it is not available for family members; OCU Health must be contacted first
hospital. If you or a family member has
as forces have a duty of care, and officers should also use treatment centres if
been diagnosed with an illness that is
possible.
likely to last for a protracted period,
2: We do not cover sporting or domestic injuries
please contact us.
3: Members will have to finance the initial assessment fee – approx £50.
4: Physiotherapy is restricted to five sessions.
4: Stress, anxiety
5: Any requests outside of the above or for further sessions can only be
and depression
authorised by the CEO or Ops Manager.
Please contact our 24/7 Support
Line if you are feeling low and need
to speak with someone. The phone
line is staffed by our own people who
understand policing and will take
time with you to help wherever we
can. The phone number is below. We
can also assist with all types
of counselling and NLP
coaching. Don’t face these PFOA 24/7
conditions alone – we Support Line 0800 088 5490
can help!
WWW.PFOA.CO.UK